Container and dispensing device for powdered soap and the like



April 6, 1937. Q EEV 2,076,323

CONTAINER AND DISPENSING DEVICE FOR POWDERED SOAP AND THE LIKE Filed May 8, 1935 Patented Apr. 6, 1937 CONTAINER AND DISPENSING DEVICE FOR POWDERED SOAP AND THE LIKE Archie Campbell Reeve, Hounslow, England Application May 8, 1935, Serial No. 20,471 In Great Britain May 8, 1934 9 Claims.

This invention relates to containers and dispensing devices for powdered soap and the like.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved form and construction of dispensing container which is extremely simple and cheap to manufacture, and which moreover is found to be satisfactory in practice for dispensing powdered soap in a clean, convenient and efficient manner.

The invention accordingly provides a dispensing container for powdered materials, particularly powdered soap, comprising a pair of tubular members, each closed at one end and arranged to engage the other member'telescopically so as to produce a compartment of variable volume, the member constituting the lower wall of the compartment being formed at or adjacent its closed end with one or more small apertures communicating with the interior of the compartment and arranged to discharge the powdered material when said compartment is contracted by telescopic movement of the member. Preferably the outer tubular member is provided with supporting means whereby it is held with its open end directed downwardly, means being associated with the inner member for moving it up and down i so as to expel the powdered material through holes in the lower end of said inner member. The

latter can be normally retained in its lowermost powdered material, the inner member conveniently assuming its lowered position after use under the action of gravity only, and means being provided for closing the discharge aperture or apertures when the members are in their normal relationship. If desired, a shield may be provided serving to close said aperture or apertures and also to act as a stop for limiting the downward movement of the inner member. A1- ternatively the tubular members may be normally held in their retracted position by resilient 5 means, the discharge operation being effected by position from which it is raised to discharge the The invention further provides an outer member of a dispensing container comprising a tube closed at its upper end, its lower end being of increased diameter and accommodating an annular shield, the internal diameter of which is sub- 5 stantially equal to the internal diameter of the upper part of the outer member and which is provided with one or more inwardly projecting parts arranged to act as a stop for limiting the axial sliding movement of an inner member. 10

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a part sectional elevation through one form of dispensing container;

Figure 2 is an underneath plan corresponding to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing the container in the act of delivering;

Figure 4 isa part sectional elevation showing a modified form of container;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation 1 showing a further constructional modification;

and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of an improved construction of carton. 25

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3 the improved container comprises an outer tubular member ID closed at its upper end H, and provided with a portion l2 of increased diameter at its lower end. The member lfl-is fitted with a pair of fix- 30 ing brackets I3 whereby the whole device is attached to a wall or other support with the axis of the member ID disposed substantially vertical. At the lower end of themember IS an annular shield I4, having an internal diameter substan- 35 tially equal to that of the upper part of the container I0, is carried by a plurality of arms l5 which are conveniently formed from wire so as to obstruct as little as possible the annular passage l6 between the portion l2 and the shield M, the outer ends of the wires l5 being attached to a ring I! adapted to slide firmly upon the portion l2 of the member Ill. Upon the central axis of the container the wires l5 are formed to produce a loop or eye 18, within which a lifting Q member 19 is arranged to have free vertical sliding movement. The upper end of the lifting member I9 is provided with a radial flange 20.

The container also comprises an inner tubular member 2| which is fitted within the outer member H] with only just sufiicient clearance to permit a free vertical sliding movement. The lower end of the inner member 2| which normally extends into the shield l4, rests upon an inturned flange 22 formed integrally with said shield, the

latter being arranged to cover a plurality of small apertures 23 formed in the lower part of the inner member 2 I, which member accommodates the powdered soap or equivalent as indicated at Zia.

The normal position of the parts is indicated in Figure 1, but when it is required to obtain a quantity of powdered soap or equivalent the lifting member I9 is raised by the palm of the hand, as indicated in Figure 3. This has the action of compressing the air within the compartment enclosed by the members I0 and 2|, so that a proportion of the air forces or carries some of the powdered soap or equivalent out through the holes 23 as soon as these are raised free of the shield l4. Upon releasing the pressure from the lifting member I9, the latter, together with the inner member 2|, drops to its lower position under the action of gravity and is once more ready for use. In Figure 3 an alternative form 13a of fixing bracket is shown, this being attached to the ring I! instead of the outer member ID.

A somewhat modified construction of container is shown in Figure 4 in which the inner member 2| is normally retained in its raised position so that the holes 23 are closed by the upper parallel portion of the outer member ID. For this purpose a wire 24 used for suspending the container passes through a hole in the top H so that the latter is supported by a helically coiled portion 25. The wire then extends downwardly as indicated at 26, and at its lower end is formed into a small helix 2! acting as a screw-threaded socket for an eye 28. This eye connects the wire 26 with the closed bottom of the inner member 2|, and at the same time forms the attachment for an actuating cord or equivalent 2!! whereby the device is operated. In this case a quantity of soap is discharged by pulling the cord 29, thus causing the inner member 2| to assume the position shown in broken lines and, after a short pause to allow the requisite quantity of air to enter the compartment, the cord 29 is released, thus increasing the internal air pressure and causing a quantity of powder to be dispensed before the holes 23 are covered. With this device, as well as the arrangement shown in Figure 1,'a substantially continuous flow of powder can be obtained by imparting a reciprocating movement to the inner member 2!. shown in Figure 4 is adapted for wall mounting, the upper end of the helical coil 25 is secured to the top I I by any suitable means, such for example as a screw-threaded cap 30, adapted to be removed when it is desired to refill the container.

In some cases the carton or equivalent in which the powdered soap is procured can be arranged to serve as the inner member 2|, and in this case, of course, it is only necessary to supply the user with the outer member 10, together with the shield 84 and associated parts for supporting and actuating the inner member. One form of carton is shown in Figure 6 in which a tubular side wall 3| is closed at its bottom 32 and is formed along its lower margin with a series of apertures 23. These are capable of being closed by a cover 33 formed with a corresponding series of apertures 34, a slight angular movement of said cover 33 serving to bring the apertures 23 and 34 into register. The carton, when charged with powdered soap, is provided with a well-shaped lid 35 which is removed before the carton is inserted into the dispensing device.

If desired, the inner member or carton may be provided with a wooden or other thick bottom having a hole adapted to a screw thread or the Where a container of the form 7 equivalent upon the member I 9, while in a modifled construction of carton intended primarily for use with dispensing containers as above described a tube is perforated circumferentially adjacent its lower edge and is closed by an upwardly flanged cap, the flange being arranged to fit either inside or outside the tube and being formed with a series of apertures which can be brought into or out of register with the series in the tube. When a new carton charged with powder is bought, the holes can be readily opened by rotating the cap prior to inserting the carton within the outer member i9.

What I claim is:--

1. An outer member of a dispensing container comprising a tube closed at its upper end, its lower end being of increased diameter and accommodating an annular shield the internal diameter of which is substantially equal to the internal diameter of the upper part of the outer member and which is provided with one or more inwardly projecting parts arranged to act as a stop for limiting the axial sliding movement of an inner member.

2. A dispensing container for powdered maand means for slidably connecting the inner and outer tubular members.

3. A dispensing container for powdered materials, comprising an outer tubular member closed at its upper end, an inner tubular member closed at its lower end and open at its upper end, a series of apertures in the surface of the inner member adjacent the lower end thereof, a bell mouth upon the lower end of the outer memher for producing an annular passage through which the powder is delivered, and a shield disposed within said bell mouth for covering the series of apertures when the container is inoperative and also limiting the downward movement of the inner member.

4. A dispensing container for powdered materials, particularly powdered soap, comprising an outer tubular member closed at its upper end, an inner tubular member closed at its lower end and open at its upper, end, a series of apertures in the surface of the inner member adjacent the lower end thereof, a bell mouth upon the lower end of the outer member for producing an annular passage through which the powdered material is delivered, a shield disposed within said bell mouth for covering the series of apertures when the container is inoperative and also limiting the downward movement of the inner memer, a ring engaging the lower end of the outer member, radial arms extending inwardly from said ring, an eye supported by the inner ends of the arms, which latter also serve to support the shield, and a lifting member engaging said eye.

5. A dispensing container for powdered material, including an outer tubular member closed at its upper end, an inner tubular member closed at its lower end and open at its upper end, radial arms extending inwardly from the lower end of the outer member, an eye supported by the inner ends of said arms, a lifting member slidably mounted in the eye, said lifting member being extended laterally at its upper end to bear against the bottom of the inner member, a series of apertures in the inner member adjacent the lower end thereof, a bell mouth upon the lower end of the outer member for producing an annular passage through which the powder is delivered, and a shield supported by said radial arms and disposed within said bell mouth for covering the series of apertures when the container is inoperative and also limiting the downward movement of the inner member.

6. A dispensing container for powdered material having an outer tubular member closed at its upper end, an inner tubular member closed at its lower end and open at its upper end, resilient means extending axially within the inner container and secured to the inner and outer members, said resilient means being retained under tension, a series of apertures in the surface of the inner member adjacent the lower end thereof, a bell mouth upon the lower end of the outer member for producing an annular passage through which the powder is delivered and which protects the series of apertures, and a hanging actuating member secured to the inner tube member whereby the apertures will be shifted into the bell mouth of the outer member as downward movement is imparted to the inner member, release of said actuating member being adapted for delivering powder into the annular passage during upward travel of the inner member.

7. An outer member of a dispensing container comprising a tube closed at its upper end, its lower end being of increased diameter and accommodating an annular shield the internal diameter of which is substantially equal to the internal diameter of the upper part of the outer member and which is provided with one or more inwardly projecting parts arranged to act as a stop for limiting the axial sliding movement of an inner member, a carton arranged to serve as the inner member of the container and comprising a cylindrical body having a closed bottom, a temporary removable closure member at its upper end, a series of apertures formed in its curved surface closely adjacent to its lower end, and means for temporarily closing the series of apertures until the carton is about to be inserted in the outer member.

8. An outer member of a dispensing container comprising a tube closed at its upper end, its lower end being of increased diameter and accommodating an annular shield the internal diameter of which is substantially equal to the internal diameter of the upper part of the outer member and which is provided with one or more inwardly projecting parts arranged to act as a stop for limiting the axial sliding movement of an inner member, a carton arranged to serve as the inner member of the container and comprising a cylindrical body having a closed bottom, a temporary removable closure member at its upper end, a series of apertures formed in its curved surface closely adjacent to its lower end, and a lower cap for temporarily closing the series of apertures until the carton is about to .be inserted in the outer member, said lower cap being itself formed with a corresponding series of apertures and being arranged for rotation upon the body of the carton whereby the two series of apertures can be brought into and out of register.

9. In a dispensing container, an outer tubular member closed at its upper end, an inner tubular member closed at its lower end and open at its upper end, apertures in the inner member, said outer member having a bell mouth upon its lower r end portion for defining an annular passage adapted to receive delivery of powdered material from the inner member through the apertures, and means engageable with the inner member axially of its closed lower end and adapted to slidably connect the inner and outer tubular members.

ARCHIE CAMPBELL REEVE. 

